01.16.07
RALEIGH – Pet owners often put their own lives at risk during emergencies to save their four-legged friends. To help provide safe pet housing during emergencies, the American Kennel Club AKC Companion Animal Recovery Program recently donated $15,000 to the State Animal Response Team (SART). The money will be used to purchase trailers, crates and other pet equipment to be used across the state during evacuations.
“During the Apex fire in October, the Red Cross reported that 30 families slept in their cars because they didn't want to leave their pets unattended,” said Doug Hoell, director of Emergency Management. “The AKC donation will go a long way toward providing a safe place to house animals during any emergency, and we really appreciate this generous donation by the AKC.”
SART, using money donated from several other animal organizations, has already purchased five pet trailers, 250 crates and accompanying equipment. The equipment is being stored temporarily at the Agriculture Service Support Center at N.C. State University. SART will then donate the equipment to the N.C. Division of Emergency Management to use during natural disasters such as hurricanes or man-made disasters such as chemical spills.
The equipment will be distributed to regional sites, two in eastern North Carolina, one in the Triangle, one in central North Carolina and one in the mountain region. Evacuees will be able to bring their pets with them to designated shelters.
Dr. Carmen Battaglia, president and C.E.O. of the AKC Companion Animal Recovery Program presented the check to Dr. Leonard Bull, executive director of North Carolina's SART in December. SART is a public-private partnership that was founded in North Carolina following Hurricane Floyd when many animals were rescued from severe flooding.
In October, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association, and Schering-Plough donated a total of $61,000. SART's goal is to reach $2.1 million before the next hurricane season starts in June.
“These donations are critical to all pet owners who could at any time be forced to evacuate and need a place to safely house their pet,” Dr. Bull said. “Hurricane Floyd was a lesson-learned in North Carolina that providing safe pet sheltering is an important part of evacuations.”
Anyone wishing to make donations to SART may contact Dr. Bull at 919-515-6836. ##
